Assurred Response

Chapter 24

The sun was low in the afternoon sky when the lake began filling faster than the water pouring through the dam could compensate. Hoover Dam officials, the ones who had been fortunate enough to be off work at the time of the explosion, were afraid to release more water because of the flooding that would occur at the other dams downstream.

They were in a real quandary. No one, including senior officials, was willing to make a decision that would be seen as controversial and possibly deadly. The paralysis of indecision led the officials to a consensus to wait and watch.

To further complicate matters, employees who had the training and experience to open the floodgates did not want to go anywhere near the dam. Authorities could only guess at the amount of radiation in the vicinity.

At 3:57 P. M., the pressure on the dam was beginning to show. A small section in the middle of the structure caved in and fell on top of the power plant. Minutes later, the unthinkable began to happen. Shortly after 4:02 P. M., Hoover Dam began snapping and popping as cracks started appearing in the center and edges of the rim.

Telltale puffs of concrete powder indicated where the greatest amount of damage was occurring. News helicopters reporting from a distance were using their long-range lenses to focus on the fractured dam. It was evident to the flight crews and to their viewers that something unprecedented was about to happen. The biggest dam break in the history of the United States was only moments away.

Eleven minutes later, while Americans watched on television, the dam imploded, crushing the main turbines and the hydroelectric generators. The main structure ripped away from the intake towers and crashed into the Colorado River. One section after another followed. In seconds, the full fury of the overflowing lake was turned loose in a 430-foot wall of water in the narrow canyon.

Jackie and Scott were relaxing in their suite when the breaking news logo flashed on the screen. Spellbound, they watched as a news helicopter followed the gargantuan wave down Glen Canyon, capturing sights that made even desensitized viewers squirm or avert their eyes.

Electrical power was lost in Las Vegas, Phoenix, Tucson, San Diego, Los Angeles, and many other cities and towns in Nevada, Arizona, and California. Scott and Jackie noticed their room's lights flicker when the hotel's generators came on line.

Like the power problem, domestic water needs would be drastically affected in the same areas. Lack of irrigation for over a million acres of rich croplands would wipe out a wide variety of vegetables, wheat, cotton, fruits, sugar beets, alfalfa, hay, and other crops, costing local economies billions of dollars in lost revenue and thousands of lost jobs.

The unimaginable failure of the Hoover Dam would forever change the character of southern California, from the Los Angeles megalopolis down the coast to San Diego. Combined with the terrible tragedy at the port of Long Beach, southern California was going to see tough times for an extended period. State taxes and utility costs, already some of the highest in the country, were about to go through the roof.

Fourteen miles south of the destroyed Hoover Dam was the Willow Beach Harbor Marina, on the Arizona side of the Colorado River. The popular establishment was almost deserted. The nervous manager and a few die-hard fishermen were drinking beer and watching television when the dam collapsed.

Leaving the front door wide open and the cash in the register, they went racing south down Highway 93 as fast as their vehicles could go. The exodus from the entire area was like a huge catde stampede. Raw panic was being shared by thousands of people along the river as they sought to escape with their lives. Many simply could not comprehend what had just happened, but their survival instincts told them to mash the accelerator and not look back.

The normally smooth and glassy Colorado River was about to undergo a colossal change in the next twenty seconds. The news helicopter was abeam the unstoppable wall of water as it roared over Willow Beach, sweeping away the convenience store, the marine fueling facilities, the launch ramp, and all the rental boats. There was nothing left. In a split second the marina ceased to exist.

Transfixed, Scott and Jackie stared at the television screen. Scott leaned back and stared at the ceiling. "Can you imagine being down there and not knowing it was coming — this mountain of water?"

"Dont even want to think about it," Jackie said. "Its mind-numbing."

Scott darted a look at her. "At least the people downriver had a couple of hours of advance notice."

"True," she said with a sigh. "What a blessing for them."

Scott turned his attention back to the screen. "Imagine being asleep in your tent or peacefully floating down the river in your canoe and have this come down out of nowhere."

The helicopter was traveling at a fast pace to stay up with the wall of liquid death. Giving a blow-by-blow description of the carnage, the helicopter pilot was becoming emotional.

"The guy is about to lose it," Scott said.

"Cant blame him."

"This is…" Scott was speechless. God have mercy.

Absorbed by the magnitude of the man-made disaster, Jackie and Scott remained silent while they thought about the consequences. The ramifications of the terrorist attack were impossible to calculate. One thing was for certain: The terrorist network was going to pay the price.

The fast-moving ultra-powerful wall of water continued to churn straight through hurriedly abandoned campgrounds and recreational facilities, destroying everything in its path. Trees, assorted boats, trailers, camping tents, cars, coolers, fishing gear, picnic tables, deck chairs, sleeping bags, beer and soft drink cans, charcoal stoves, propane tanks, fish, and a host of other items became weapons as they tossed and turned in the maelstrom.

Soon, the water reached Lake Mohave, which was formed by Davis Dam, and then swept through Pyramid Canyon, taking out Davis Dam like a cardboard box. The raging water then pummeled Laughlin, Nevada's third-largest gaming center. Everything bordering the river was tumbled over and over in the tumultuous flood.

Next, the water destroyed bridges near Bullhead City and smashed through the evacuated town as it continued its march toward Needles, California. The community had turned into a virtual ghost town when Hoover Dam collapsed. Once again a bridge was ripped apart and swept downstream with all the other debris. South of Needles, the raging flood weakened the Interstate 40 span until the erosion caused the roadway to collapse in two sections.

Another news helicopter joined the chase when the original pilot had to depart for fuel. The new reporter was a well-known and respected journalist from the Las Vegas area. Her helicopter was soon joined in formation by two more news helicopters.

Scott went to the window and cast his gaze east-southeast where the Hoover Dam had held back Lake Mead for over half a century. Turning to Jackie, he spoke in a quiet voice. "This is like watching the events of September eleventh in slow motion… over and over until you're numb."

"I know, but I can't take my eyes away"

The helicopter reporter was reporting that Lake Havasu City was still being evacuated. Some ill-informed members of the community had been under the impression that Davis Dam would protect them.

Late evening was approaching when the millions of tons of water and debris swept through Lake Havasu, which was created by Parker Dam, and continued the sweep down the violendy raging river. With twilight fading, the huge torrent of water crushed Parker Dam, knocking out power to many more communities in Arizona and southern California.

The helicopter pilots tried using bright spodights, but it was difficult to tell what was happening in the swirling, twisting waters.

What surprised many viewers were the enormous whirlpools, some large enough to suck under a twenty-five-to-thirty-foot boat.

Jackie sank back on the couch and closed her eyes. "This disaster will take years to overcome."

Scott switched to another cable channel. "Think about the time needed to rebuild the dams and the time to refill the lakes. Wheres the water going to come from for the entire southwestern section of the country?"

"Who knows? It's beyond comprehension."

"We don't even know the half of it," he mused. "One thing we do know: We have to find Farkas and the four nukes."

They continued to watch the water invasion of Interstate 10 near Blythe, California. The powerful torrents of water finally weakened the highway to the point that chunks of concrete began falling into the raging Colorado River. Minutes later the span sagged a couple of feet and then broke into three pieces.

With the two major southwestern east-west interstates closed, commerce ceased to flow across southern California. Gridlock became the norm as thousands of trucks and other vehicles had to be rerouted north or south. Soon a detour was implemented west of Tucson to swing Interstate 10 traffic to Interstate 8 through Yuma, Arizona.

Next came the destruction of the Imperial Dam and the Laguna Dam. The television coverage of the events was excellent, both from the air and the ground. News crews, most of whom had powerful floodlights trained on the water, had been stationed in advance along the river.

Shortly after the Laguna Dam was destroyed, the flooded river wreaked havoc in Yuma before surging into Mexico. Although Interstate 8 suffered some minor damage, the highway survived the pounding waters. A few of the news helicopters flew into Mexico to follow the flood, but most stopped at the border.

Continuing south, the waters spread out far and wide as the flood surged into San Luis, Guadalupe Victoria, Estacion Coahuila, Riito, and Oviedo Mota, before reaching Mexico's Colorado River delta and finally spilling into the Golfo de California.

With the entire southwestern section of the United States now declared a disaster area, President Macklin made the decision to return to the White House. In his judgment, he could not successfully lead the country from the confines of the NORAD complex.

NORAD provided the safety and communication capabilities the commander in chief needed to pursue the war on terror, but it did not look right for the president of the world s only superpower to lead the country from the bowels of a cave. The citizens needed to see him, know he was okay and in good health, and hear his comforting, reassuring words.

Minutes after the Hoover Dam was bombed, Macklin gave the order to send the USS Nimitz battle group to the North Arabian Sea to join the USS Stennis and the USS Washington and their escorts. Now, before he left for the White House, the president ordered the USS Constellation battle group to sail into harms way. En route to her home port of San Diego, California, the aircraft carrier and her support ships reversed course for the North Arabian Sea. The homecoming parties would have to be delayed for now.

The USS Enterprise and her battle group assumed station on the East Coast of the United States, while the Abraham Lincoln covered the West Coast. Ships from the coast guard were also on station to help defend all waterways and air routes close to the country.

Shortly after 10 P. M. the president and his staff left Cheyenne Mountain for the E-4B waiting at Peterson AFB. Macklin was looking forward to having breakfast with the first lady. Maria Eden-Macklin would be arriving at the White House only minutes after Marine One delivered her husband to the residence.

Security was tight at the White House. The marines were out in force, and fighter planes circled the mansion around the clock. Construction crews were working twenty-four hours a day to repair the damage caused by the crash of the hijacked Gulfstream G-IV.

En route to Peterson AFB, Hartwell Prost used a satellite phone to call Scott and Jackie. Farkas had been sighted far from the location of his crashed B-25, ^^ their Bell 206 L4 LongRanger would be in Las Vegas early in the morning. The FAA had granted a discreet code for their transponder, and agent Frank Wakefield requested they contact him early in the morning.

Military search-and-rescue helicopters, including units and squadrons from the marines, coast guard, navy, air force, army, air national guard, and army national guard, were tasked to hunt for stranded survivors along the entire Colorado River. Some of the units were coming from as far away as the East Coast. Other units were volunteering but being held in abeyance until the situation could be assessed in the light of day.

The U. S. Border Patrol was galvanized into an organization to assist in rescue efforts on both sides of the river to Page, Arizona. Like most law enforcement agencies along the river, every available Border Patrol agent had been called to duty. Military transport planes and helicopters from active duty squadrons and air guard squadrons were flying the agents to critical areas along the river.

The FAA authorized civilian law enforcement and EMS helicopters to assist with the efforts to rescue people. The Feds restricted the number of news helicopters and forced the media to use pool reporters along the river.

Everyone was operating under intense emotional and physical stress. The civilian and military helicopter pilots were flying in dangerous conditions, sometimes having to hover under live power lines, close to trees, and near telephone poles and other obstacles.

Most of the victims were along the riverbank. Others, who were far from the river, had believed nothing could happen to them. Unfortunately, hundreds of them paid the ultimate price for underestimating the power of the raging water.

Overhead, a navy E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft was helping to coordinate the efforts of helicopters from Naval Air Station North Island, California, helicopters from Marine Corps Air Stations Miramar and Camp Pendleton, California. It was a difficult task, especially at night, to keep the massive rescue operation as safe as possible.

Due to the chaos along the river, innovation become the rule. Certain helicopters flew at higher altitudes than others, using searchlights to look for survivors. Other helicopters went in low to rescue stranded people and take them to medical facilities.

The rescue operation was proceeding at a reasonable pace until half past midnight, when a totally unexpected phenomenon began to occur. Beginning in the flooded areas of Mexico between Yuma, Arizona, and El Centro, California, and spreading southeast toward Sonoyta, Nogales, and Agua Prieta, first hundreds and then thousands of illegal aliens began storming the U. S. border.

In Mexico, the word had spread like a wind-driven forest fire. The destroyed dams and unprecedented flooding presented a chance for a brighter future for many Mexican citizens. If illegal immigrants wanted to enter the United States and not get caught, now was the time to go.

Like the famous California gold rush of 1848, every precious minute lost could be an opportunity gone forever. The encouraging message was being broadcast from radio stations in Tijuana, Matamoros, Nuevo Laredo, Chihuahua, Guadalajara, Mexico City, and Monterrey.

The same theme prevailed throughout Mexico. "Let s take back the land the Americans stole from us! Dont worry, the Americans arent going to shoot tens of thousands of Mexicans. Take advantage of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! Follow your dreams! Go to America and prosper!"

The first large concentration of migrants began crossing the All American Canal in the El Centro border sector near Calexico, California. The irrigation waterway follows the Mexico-U. S. border for eighty-two miles, and 11,000-plus farm workers were hoping to find employment in the Imperial and Coachella valleys.

In their haste to enter the United States, 271 laborers drowned in the water of the canal during the first twenty minutes. Seeing their friends and family members being swept away, hundreds of illegal migrants frantically passed the word down the line at the canal. Most of the second wave of laborers decided to cross the border in the desert.

In certain areas of narrow passage through the border, many hopeful immigrants found themselves in the midst of mob rule. Mexican gangs set up checkpoints where everyone had to pay their last peso to cross the border. There were no exceptions, unless you wanted to trade the favors of your wife or daughters.

The sections of the border patrolled by horse units were particularly active. Inaccessible to standard all-terrain vehicles, the trails were saturated with thousands of fleeing Mexicans. Many wept as they ran across the border and stood on U. S. soil.

Texas was the first state to close their fourteen commercial crossing points into Mexico. El Paso, Pharr, Laredo, Eagle Pass, and Brownsville were overrun by 1:20 A. M. Seven illegal aliens were trampled to death on the Mexican side of the Zaragoza-Ysleta Bridge south of El Paso. Local law enforcement officials and highway patrol officers were called to help secure the crossings. California, New Mexico, and Arizona quickly followed suit.

The Mexican stampede was on, and the numbers were growing by the minute. Desperate people slapped together whatever they could carry and joined the frenzied rush of illegal aliens heading for isolated sections of the border. From battered pickup trucks carrying twenty riders to small caravans of pack mules, these people were willing to overcome any hardship, face any ordeal, to escape their miserable, poverty-ridden lives.

The image of a prosperous and happy life in America was addictive. With the United States dealing with a huge disaster, and 72 percent of the Border Patrol agents detailed to the Colorado River, the timing could not have been better.

Sixteen antiaircraft missiles were now deployed around the official residence of the president, to provide a multilayered air defense. In addition, hundreds of man-portable heat-seeking Stinger missiles were part of Operation Safe Skies. Supported by tankers, fighter aircraft patrolled Washington, D. C., twenty-four hours a day.

President Cord Macklin, continuously updated on the border situation, went straight from Marine One to the Oval Office. Vice President David Timkey was conferring with General Jeremiah Jamison when Macklin, Prost, Adair, and General Chalmers walked in and sat down.

Dave Timkey, a former governor of Tennessee, was Macklins point man with members of Congress.

"Where do we stand?" the president asked the commander of homeland security.

Shoulders squared, General Jamison responded without looking at his briefing notes. "Mr. President, the invasion is growing by the hour. CIA agents in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, have reported that illegal immigrants are pouring into Mexico from Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. Some of the immigrants from Colombia and Ecuador have been waiting months to enter Mexico on their way to the United States."

Back from attending a funeral in Norway, Dave Timkey spoke up. "Chiapas is the Mexican state that borders Guatemala. This invasion from Ecuador through Chiapas, a main crossing point for undocumented immigrants entering Mexico, began about two years ago. They've been gathering in Guatemala."

Macklin was bone-tired and his patience was running low. "Dave, I appreciate the information, but I need to know what's happening on our border."

Timkey, a tough lawyer-turned-politician, stood his ground. "Sir, ninety to one hundred thousand immigrants from south of Mexico have passed through Chiapas in the last three months to enter the United States illegally. At least one third of them are militant Muslims who openly encourage a jihad against America. Along with the Mexicans, they are now coming across our border."

Jamison had one more piece of bad news. "In the last fourteen months, an estimated twenty-five thousand Ecuadorians have traveled on the high seas to get to Mexico. Their goal, too, is to enter our country. Mr. President, we have to take control of our border at any cost, and then round up the illegal immigrants."

Macklin slumped in his chair, and then looked at his national security adviser. "Hartwell?"

"General Jamison is right. We have two major dams destroyed, there's a devastating flood, and thousands of Mexicans are storming our southern border. Everyone knows the Mexican army and the federal police have been helping illegal aliens cross the border for years. I say we warn President Cardenas of dire consequences if he doesn't stop this invasion within twenty-four hours."

"And if he doesn't?" Pete Adair asked.

"That's why we have a military" Prost said, without hesitation. "To protect our borders."

The president leaned on his desk. "I agree with Hartwell. We 11 send an urgent message to President Cardenas, but I want Secretary Austin to speak face-to-face with him before we resort to a military option, if it comes to that."

"Mr. President," Prost said firmly, "I know you're tired, but I recommend that you go on television this morning after the Cabinet meeting. The American people need your reassurance that we can handle the war on terrorism and the border problems at the same time."

Macklin sat in quiet contemplation for a moment. "Ten o'clock Eastern, Oval Office."

"Yes, sir."

The president slid his chair back. "Cabinet meeting at eight sharp?"